In 1973, the IAAF took over ownership of the World Cross Country Championships. Previously, the races had been called the International Cross Country Championships and had been run for 70 years up to that point.

Back then, only 21 countries took part in the first edition of the new race series, which was held in Waregem, Belgium.

Even more of a surprise: back then only two African countries were represented (Tunisia and Morocco). And no African runner earned a medal in either the men’s senior or junior races. The highest-placing African was Tunisia’s Abdelkader Zadem, who came in a distant 20th.

Back then it was the Finns who dominated the sport, with Pekka Paivarint winning the men’s race. He went on to run a world record in the 25K (1 hour, 14 minutes, and 16 seconds).

Throughout his long career, he battled fellow Finn Lasse Viren, two-time double Olympic gold medalist in the 5,000m and 10,000m.